Laser trackers are instruments that are used to determine a location, orientation, and/or dimensions of an object. Laser trackers can measure distances on orders of tens of meters with hundredths of microns accuracy. Laser trackers are commonly used in manufacturing environments and other industrial environments, where accuracy in determining and tracking location of objects is an issue. Example industries include, but are not limited to, aerospace, aircraft assembly, auto-body plants, construction, etc.
Laser trackers work by directing a laser beam to an optical target, often a retroreflector, attached to the object being tracked, and detecting the beam reflected back to the source. In some cases, laser trackers determine the distance from the optical target to the laser tracker based on time of flight measurements. Laser trackers typically include actuators or drives which rotate the laser source and detector to track the object as it moves. The laser tracker commonly includes one or more encoders that monitor the direction of the laser beam as the laser source moves. For example, laser trackers can include encoders to monitor rotations of the laser source in a tilt plane and a pan plane. Laser tracker systems can use information about the encoders' rotational angles and the distance measurements to determine the location of the object with respect to the laser tracker.